Home News Afghanistan earthquakes kill 2,053 as death toll spikes The quake hit 35 km northwest of the city of Herat, measuring 6.3 magnitude on the Richter scale by Reuters October 8, 2023 Image credit: Getty Images Powerful earthquakes in Afghanistan have killed more than 2,000 people and injured more than 9,000, the Taliban administration said on Sunday, in the deadliest tremors in years in the quake-prone mountainous country. Amid the confusion, the death toll from Saturday’s quakes spiked from 500 reported on Sunday morning by a Red Crescent spokesperson and 16 from Saturday night. Afghanistan’s Herat sees death toll rise The quakes hit 35 km northwest of the city of Herat, with one measuring 6.3 magnitude, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said. Mullah Janan Sayeeq, spokesman for the Ministry of Disasters, told Reuters 2,053 people were dead, 9,240 injured and 1,329 houses damaged or destroyed. More than 200 dead had been brought to different hospitals, a Herat health department official who identified himself as Dr Danish told Reuters, adding most of them were women and children. Bodies had been “taken to several places – military bases, hospitals,” Danish said. The quakes caused panic in Herat, resident Naseema said on Saturday. “People left their houses, we all are on the streets,” she wrote in a text message to Reuters, adding that the city was feeling follow-on tremors. Also read: Philippines struck by 6.4 magnitude earthquake: NCM Tags Afghanistan earthquake Herat Red Crescent Taliban You might also like Global airlines fly over Afghanistan as Middle East becomes the greater risk Magnitude 3.6 earthquake hits Jordan, no deaths reported Two earthquakes hit Oman Sea, tremors felt in the UAE Nvidia says it expects no impact to chip supply from Taiwan earthquake